This invention relates to article conveyance, and, more particularly, relates to apparatus and method for article conveyance having spacing between articles and/or rearrangement of articles between single and multiple lines during conveyance.
It is oftentimes necessary to convey articles, such as, for example, containers, between different locations, such as, again by way of example, moving cans from one location, or position, to another in connection with manufacture, processing and/or filling of the cans.
While articles may sometimes simply be moved in either single line, or file, or in mass, including multiple lines, or files, between locations, it is sometimes necessary that articles in single line be formed, or rearranged, into multiple lines during conveyance, or that articles in multiple lines be formed, or rearranged, into single line during conveyance, and devices and/or methods for such rearrangement of articles during conveyance of the articles are now well known.
Particular difficulty has sometimes been encountered, however, in handling some articles during conveyance, including, for example, at least some types of articles, such as, for example, unstable articles, articles having force type restrictions, and/or articles to be conveyed in article non-contact relationship between at least some locations, or processing stations.
Thus, while devices and/or methods are now known for conveying articles, including cans, between locations or processing stations, and/or controlling spacing between the articles, such devices and/or methods have not been completely successful, at least for some uses, due, at least in part, in failing to adequately and efficiently handle the articles, in failing to eliminate, or at least minimize, article contact with other articles, in requiring use of extensive spacing between locations or processing stations, in requiring use of extensive article path travel between locations or processing stations where line and/or spacing adjustment is required during conveyance of the articles, and/or in not conveying the articles at sufficiently high speeds.
This invention provides improved apparatus and method for article conveyance, provides improved line and/or spacing adjustment during article conveyance, is useful for article spacing and/or adjustment, or rearrangement, of the articles during conveyance between single and multiple lines (including operation in a single to multiple line mode or, alternately, in a multiple to single line mode), is useful in connection with conveyance of articles in article non-contact relationship and/or at higher speeds between different locations or processing stations, and is useful in connection with more difficult conveyance of articles such as light, unstable, and/or force restricted articles, or containers, such as, for example, cans (including non-magnetically responsive or weakly magnetically responsive cans) and bottles (including plastic bottles).
For operation in single to multiple line mode, articles in single line, or file, received on a receiving path at an adjusting unit of the apparatus, are formed, or rearranged, into multiple lines, or files, and/or are adjustably spaced during conveyance in the multiple lines so that the spaced articles are discharged from the adjusting unit on a discharging path in multiple lines, with the articles in the multiple lines on the discharging path being offset from one another and having a preselected spacing between adjacent articles, such as, if needed, spacing of the articles a distance from one another in each of the multiple lines equal to the spacing between articles on the receiving path.
For operation in multiple to single line mode, articles in multiple line, or file, received on a receiving path at the adjusting unit of the apparatus, are formed, or rearranged, into a single line, or file and/or are adjustably spaced during conveyance so that the spaced articles are discharged in single line from the adjusting unit at a discharging path, with the spacing of the articles on the receiving and discharging paths including spacing capabilities as described above in connection with operation in single to multiple line mode.
Rearrangement of the articles between single and multiple lines and/or space adjustment between the articles is effected during conveyance of the articles by a plurality of article actuators, each preferably including a disk having a predetermined non-mechanical force, preferably negative pressure, established thereat to selectively establish and maintain engagement of the articles with the peripheral portions of the disks.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide improved article conveying apparatus and method.
It is another object of this invention to provide improved article conveying apparatus and method capable of efficient operation and/or operation at higher speeds.
It is another object of this invention to provide improved article conveying apparatus and method having line and/or spacing adjustment.
It is still another object of this invention to provide improved apparatus and method for efficiently conveying and handling articles in article non-contact relationship with controllable spacing between the articles.
It is still another object of this invention to provide improved apparatus and method for conveying articles and rearranging the articles between single and multiple lines during conveyance.
It is still another object of this invention to provide improved apparatus and method for conveying articles and rearranging the articles between single and multiple lines during conveyance of the articles within a limited area.
It is still another object of this invention to provide improved apparatus and method using a predetermined non-mechanical force, preferably negative pressure, for conveying articles and rearranging the articles between single and multiple lines during conveyance.
It is still another object of this invention to provide improved apparatus and method for conveying articles and rearranging the articles between single and multiple lines during conveyance using article actuators each having a disk with negative pressure thereat for selectively establishing and maintaining controlled article engagement with the peripheral portions of the disks to effect article conveyance and line rearrangement during conveyance.
It is still another object of this invention to provide improved apparatus and method for conveying articles in article non-contact relationship and rearranging the articles between single and multiple lines during conveyance with the articles being space-wise adjustable during conveyance so that the articles on the discharge path can be spaced from one another in a predetermined manner with respect to the articles on the receiving path.
With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent to one skilled in the art as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination, arrangement of parts and method substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiments of the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included as come within the scope of the claims.